We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Maldonado a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
This Summer I achieved a lifelong dream of launching a boutique hotel inspired by my brand YOWIE. When I started working in design after college I started to travel for work. It was something that was new to me as growing up my family didn’t travel very often. I always found myself trying to carve out time to explore these cities in other countries and enjoy every ounce of my time spent in the hotel rooms I’d never be able to afford on my own.
I wanted this space to feel like a friend’s extra bedroom. Each suite would have its own palette and design and we’d be able to capture the many parts of your stay – Where to eat and shop (hopefully downstairs at our adjoining cafe and shop) or helping you get tickets to an event, grab an extra toothbrush or charger or help you experience Philly through our lens.
This space is nearly three years in the making but really something I was hoping my brand would lead me to all along. A space where the dynamic lifestyle brand I have created could have a more holistic approach to what we do! Part shop, hotel, cafe, showroom, community space, artist incubator, design studio and more, YOWIE is a lot of things; and that is exactly how I like it!
Shannon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
After working in Fashion Design for over 12 years, I launched my storefront via a series of experimental pop-ups. I decided to launch my brand in my hometown of Philadelphia as I felt there was a space to create something new there and that I was ready to move back from New York and focus on a new project. I spent the first year hosting pop-ups and installations in different spaces around the city. People kept showing up and I wanted to find us a permanent space.
After a few years of having our storefront in Queen Village we were named “The Coolest Shop in Philadelphia” by Bon Appétit in 2019, since then we’ve extended its outreach to include interactive design workshops, creative/art direction, and interior design consulting for hospitality clients. I have always been a creative person and attended school for Fashion Design before branching off to start my own brand in 2016.
YOWIE is a shop, design studio (we offer Creative Direction, Interior Design and Product Design), boutique hotel and space where people come to be inspired. We’re known for being approachable, having a colorful and playful spirit and for working with and often mentoring emerging artists and makers. We also host workshops and pop-ups in our new space with a diverse group of partners and friends.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being a creative is that my brand allows me to work with other talented artists and makers that I admire. When I was growing up I had supportive family and friends who encouraged my creativity but not many people who shared my interests in design, art and fashion. Its exciting to share my interests through building my brand YOWIE and to be able to play a small role in encouraging other artists and makers by showcasing their work or commissioning things for our space. We have worked with so many artists over the years, at many stages of their practice and I am so proud of that.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Contact Info:
- Website: helloyowie.com
- Instagram: @helloyowie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-maldonado-59353b29/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@smallenoughshow
Image Credits
All Photos by Bre Furlong